Willie Nelson in “Stagecoach”

Courtesy: Everett Collection

This remake of the John Wayne classic was released in May 1986, exactly one year after the Highwaymen’s debut album hit shelves, and it more or less functions as a Western-themed commercial for the chemistry between Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. They’re not the only country stars here, though. With additional cameos by June Carter, Jessi Colter and David Allan Coe, Stagecoach cracks its whip by focusing on country star power, not necessarily acting ability.

On May 18, 1986, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings appear in a CBS-TV remake of the western movie “Stagecoach,” along with June Carter, John Schneider, John Carter Cash, Jessi Colter, David Allan Coe and Billy Swan.

This movie stars Willie Nelson, and his Highwaymen buddies, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. Great soundtrack, lots of Trigger playing throughout. Willie sings the title song, which he wrote with David Alan Coe, who also is in the movie, along with June Carter and other faces you will recognize.

Willie Nelson plays Doc Holiday. The movie has some great movie lines:

Willie: “Is that the deck you play with?”

Waylon: “One of them.”

Willie: “May I see it, please? I must say, I admire your guts.”

Waylon: “Does that mean you wouldn’t play cards with me?”

Willie: “That means I’d shoot you on sight.”

Kris: Where ya headed?

Dallas: “I knew the answer to that when I was about 14. Then I hit 15 and I ran head onto that thing called reality. And I been walking with a lantern ever since.”

Waylon: “Don’t light that.”

Willie: “Did you say something?”

Waylon: “A gentleman doesn’t smoke in the presence of a lady”

Willie: “I wouldn’t like to think that you are implying that I am anything less. I may be, you understand, but I just wouldn’t want to hear you say it.”

Willie: “And what are you looking at, friend?”

Man: “That’s a filthy habit, smoking, just filthy.”

Willie: “I have a lot of filthy habits. Most of them I find very enjoyable”

Man: “Don’t you have any good habits.”

Willie: “You mean something that can be admired, and held up to a child as a good example?”

Man: “Yes, something like that.”

Willie: “No sir. Children despise that. There’s nothing a child despises more than a good example.”

June Carter to Willie (when he drinks a shot of whiskey): “Did you eat?”